Preconscious, conscious, and post-perceptual processing of visual word forms in an inattentional blindness paradigm

Introduction • To investigate the neural correlates of conscious perception, one strategy is to contrast ERPs elicited by identical visual stimuli of which subjects are aware versus unaware1. • Inattentional blindness refers to the failure to detect unexpected, but otherwise salient stimuli because one’s attention is engaged elsewhere2. o The inattentional blindness paradigm2 was recently adapted for ERPs1. • Previous studies suggest that access to meaning of “unseen” words occurs during the attentional blink, indexed by the N400 component3. o However, the prime words were seen and the unseen probe words were taskrelevant targets3, thus it is unclear whether the N400 would remain during the complete absence of attention (inattentional blindness). o Earlier components reflecting orthographic and lexical processing (N1, midlatency posterior components) may also be modulated by attention and awareness4.